Thursday, January 6, 2011

Members of the Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan, (Asia 1), toured the Gaza Strip on the second day of their visit to the tiny coastal enclave which has been under strict Israeli blockade for the last four years.

The international activists entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing after their ship docked at the Egyptian el-Arish poor late Monday night.

The group succeeded in bringing $1 million worth of food supplies, medicines and children's toys to the Gazans.

They began their tour by visiting Gaza's Shifa hospital where activists say they were not allowed to bring into Gaza all of the relief supplies they brought with them on the flotilla.

convoy members met later with Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniya who said that aid convoys help expose Israeli policies against Palestinians.

Hamas movement welcomed the convoy and called for similar convoys to break the blockade.

The activists also visited war ravaged areas in Gaza and met with families of war victims who were pleased to welcome them.

Egypt has prevented some members of the convoy including Iranians from enetering Gaza.

Palestinians have frequently accused Cairo of helping Tel Aviv by its refusal to grant aid convoys easy access to Gaza through the Rafah border.

After seeing first hand the situation on the ground, the activists stressed that they are here to express solidarity with the Palestinian people in their resistance against Israel.